Ryan, McCarthy Call for End to Move to Oust Boehner

The No. 2 House Republican and the chairman of the powerful Ways and Means committee are putting the hex on any conservative coup to topple House Speaker John Boehner – and calling for an end to palace-like "intrigue" and GOP infighting.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Ways and Means head Paul Ryan – "the only two viable potential replacements" for the embattled Ohio Republican, now in his third term as House Speaker, Politico reports – say they'll oppose any effort to oust him.

"I support John Boehner as speaker," McCarthy said in a statement, Politico reports. "We should be spending all of our time and energy confronting this administration’s disastrous policies. The intrigue and fighting amongst ourselves only makes it harder to get that done. It ought to stop immediately.”

Added Ryan: "The best person to lead the conference right now is John Boehner, and any attempt to remove him would be counterproductive," Politico reports.

Just 14 months after the last contested House leadership election, Boehner still faces the wrath of about two dozen conservatives – led by the House Freedom Caucus – who've threatened to try and remove the speaker if they don’t get a Planned Parenthood defunding measure on a government funding bill by the end of the month.

"He told us the other day in the conference, 'You elect us, we try to do as best as we can with what everyone wants and develop a strategy and move forward,'" California GOP Rep. Devin Nunes, a Boehner ally, tells Politico. "That’s what his job is, and he’s going to continue to do that."

Calls by McCarthy and Ryan to stop the drama over Boehner likely won't halt the jockeying for position in the House leadership chain, Politico reports.

House Republican Conference Chairman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) has been "actively positioning herself" for a run for a run for the No. 2 spot, Politico reports – a run that would put her, now the No. 4 House Republican, head-to-head with House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), who has the No. 3 spot, Politico reports.

For his part, Scalise has been asking lawmakers to commit to him in a race for majority leader if one develops, Politico reports.

The No. 2 House Republican and the chairman of the powerful Ways and Means committee are putting the hex on any conservative coup to topple House Speaker John Boehner - and calling for an end to palace-like intrigue and GOP infighting.
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy...